No wax work for Brown now, Madame Tussauds changes stand

DPA London, March 11 (DPA) Gordon Brown, Britain’s Prime Minister and veteran Labour politician, was Tuesday at the centre of a bizarre row over whether or not he has gained sufficient popularity to be cast in wax at Madame Tussauds, the famous waxwork museum. According to press reports, the museum last week invited Brown, 57, for a sitting, saying he was a “hugely popular” choice among visitors. Downing Street confirmed receipt of the letter.

But in a bizarre twist Monday, a spokesman for Madame Tussauds said there was simply not enough demand to justify commissioning of the waxwork at a cost of 150,000 pounds ($300,000).

“We are going to wait for a general election to see what will happen, because that is the ultimate test of public opinion. We are always continuing to monitor public opinion so if there’s a surge of support then we will reconsider,” said Ben Lovett, spokesman for Madame Tussauds.

To make matters worse, he added that Brown’s predecessor, Tony Blair, who was cast in wax while an opposition leader 13 years ago, was still a big hit with foreign visitors.

“Tony Blair is a very popular attraction. He is instantly recognizable to tourists,” Lovett explained.

The last major political figure to be unveiled at Madame Tussauds last month was that of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. DPA